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GCSE Religious Studies · key term
The ‘Book of Knowledge’, a book within Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah which includes teachings on repentance and free will.
Used by Edexcel
Specification 1.7 · Paper 2
Revise: Moral Principles and MitzvotSefer Madda, meaning ‘Book of Knowledge’, is a book within this work. The Mishneh Torah is a later organisation and explanation of Jewish law, rather than the original Oral Torah itself.
Specification 1.7 · Paper 1, Paper 2, Paper 3
The ‘Book of Knowledge’, the first book of Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah. It includes the Laws of Repentance, whose fifth chapter explains free will and moral responsibility.
When referring to Sefer Madda, explain Maimonides’ argument: commandments and just reward or punishment depend on people being able to choose their actions.
Use Maimonides’ argument from Sefer Madda: commandments, reward and punishment would make no sense if God forced people to be righteous or wicked.
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This influential code helps explain how commandments are understood and practised. It is not the original Oral Torah itself, and Jewish legal interpretation is not limited to this one work. Its first book, Sefer Madda, means ‘Book of Knowledge’ and includes the Laws of Repentance.
